Health

The economic benefits of Medicaid expansion in Alabama under the Affordable Care Act would far outweigh the state costs, according to a study released Nov. 5, 2012, by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Public Health.

State governments stand to save billions of dollars in Medicaid prescription drug costs thanks to a new rule based on an Alabama cost-saving innovation. Instead of paying for drugs according to drug company price lists, which are often inflated, Alabama Medicaid got federal permission a few years ago to start reimbursing local pharmacies on the basis of what they actually pay for the medications.

Health care coverage is better, more accessible and more affordable for thousands of Alabamians thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which marks its first anniversary today. These resources explain how the first year of health care reform affects you, the benefits yet to come, and how the law took shape.

Alabama's aggressive efforts to cover uninsured children have garnered national recognition in a new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Secrets to Success: An Analysis of Four States at the Forefront of the Nation's Gains in Children's Health Coverage singles out Alabama, Iowa, Massachusetts and Oregon for their innovations in making health insurance available and accessible for children in low-income families. One breakthrough that helped Alabama set new records for enrollment is a streamlined eligibility process called "Express Lane," for which ACPP provided technical assistance.